Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-20
How Lightning is Kindled.

The observations of mcicorologists.
says the Electrical Reu'ew. show that
.he vapor which asceats In an invisi-
Die shape from the ground carries with
1t, in calm and line weather. into the
region of the air, 4 very considerable
supply Of positive electricity. Each
minute vapor particle that goes up bears
its own portion of the load. When.
however, the invisible vapor has thus
mounted into very high regions of the
air it loses its inyisibiIity. and is con-
densed into visible mist. Numerous
particles of the aqueous substance are
drawn close together and grouped into
the form of little vesicles or globules.
Each one of these is then reservoir or
receptacle of electrical force. aud as
more aud more electricity is collected in
the gathering mist; but each of the
water globulcs is still envcloDed by n
space of clear air.
In n drifting cloui the mist specks
can be discerned floating along with
transparent intervals between. The
clear air which lies around the globules
of vapor then acts as an insulating in
vestment; it imprisons its own part OF
the acquired electrical forcc in each
separate globue. The cloud is thus
not charged as n whole, like continu-
Gus mass OF metal. with its electricity
spread upon It's outer surface. Ii is in-
tcrpcnetraied everywhere with the
force. Ii is composed of myriad of
electrified spccks, each having its own
particular share of the electric force,
al oil
energy on its own account. Tue cleo
tricity which NJ any one instant resides
in the outer surface Of cloud is, there
fore, but comparative small portion OF
that which rs present in the entire vap-
orouS mass.
That such is the way in which cleo
tricitv is stored in the clouds has been
proven by direct observation. When a
gold leaf electromcter is placed in the
midst of cloud driven along By the
wind it is seen that the strips of gold
leaf continually divergo and collapse as
the mass of the cloud passes along.
There is an electrical charge acting in
all parts. but the charge yam'es in in
tensity from place 10 place. accordingly
rs there is greater or less condensa-
particular spot. But the influence OK
ternally exerted by the cloud is never
thclcss capable of being raised to
very intense decree. because it is, so to
speak. the sum total or outcome of the
forces contained in the inuumerable in
ternai centcrs of energy
1t is no uncommon Thing for the cleo
trIcal forcn emanating from ~ cloud to
make itself felt in attractions and re-
pulsions many miles away. Clouds
resting on the remote horizon thus fire.
quentlv produce perceptibe effects ut
distances from which the clouds them
selves can not DC seen. An electrical
cloui hanging y mile above the ground
acts inductiyciy upon the ground with
considerable power. When in summer
time the temperature OF the earth's sur
face is very high. the ground MOIST, the
air calm. aud sky clear. very Fopious
supple, Of yapor arr steamed uf from
the ground under the hot sunshine.
Clouds. however, begin ut length to
gather ii elevated regions of the air
out OF The abundancc Of the supply.
The lr,c electricity which has been car
ried mp with the vapor is ut first pretty
evenly sprcli through the clouds; but
after i,mel Is the electrical charge be-
comes NOR, aIid more intense. power
~ ruul,vr force . in the end estab-
IlShed U,,wcen the Sphcrules of the
mist, a'id !, vcry' high degree of tension
lis at last produced al the outer surface
of the cloud, where 1t is envclopcd by
insulating air. Nntil il the end the cx-
enough to occasion an. outburst from
the cloud. The escape of the redundant
charge tacn app ar, 10 an observers
eye rs = HASH Of liz lining issdAg from
the cloud. Such N its simplest form,
is the way IN whc! hghining is kndled
in the siogm-g cloud.